Mail-pouch catching and delivering device



Nair. 27,1923.

I 7 1,475,418 C. J. M. WEBER ET AL MAIL POUCH CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE Filed June' 15 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l 132120221122), (701320 hi1]! Wler 24?] 02mm i\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Nov. 27, 1923.

- 1,475,418 c. J. M. WEBYER ET AL v MAIL POUCH CATCHING AND DELIVERING DEVICE Filed June 15 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet [12 1/02 ford,

Nov. 27, 1923.

1,415,418 c. J. M. WEBER ET AL v MAIL POUCH CATCHI NG AND DELIVERING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fil ed June 15, 1922 Hardin/$011M Wier Au! film/z z a d M 14 ,arzz e y.

Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER J. M. WEBER AND AXEL OLSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

MAIL-POUCH CA'ICEING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

Application filed Ju e 15, 1922. Serial No. 568,519.

To'aZZ whom it may concern: v

Be it known that we, CHRISTOPHER J. M. VVEBER, a citizen of the United States, and AXEL OLSON, a subject of the King of Sweden, both residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Pouch Catching and Delivering Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail pouch catching and delivering devices for use in connection with railway mail coaches, and has for its principal object to provide simple and eflicient mail catching and deliver-' ing means which is automatically actuated at the proper time, concurrently with the movement of the train. 1

Devices of the class described, wherein the judgement of the attendant is relied upon for the selection of the proper moment to operate the catching and delivering mechanism, are objectionable because of the difficulties encountered in darkness or fog, the ever prevailing uncertainty and danger of premature or late operation, and the possible laxness on the part. of the attendant.

It is an object of the invention to pro vide in devices of this class, improved means whereby the catching and delivering mechanism is co-operatively connected and automatically actuated at a definite point along the track, and is capable of being readily rendered inoperative when the mail coach is out of service. 7,

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the class described,

mechanism adapted to be operatedfrom a stationary member placedfon the track, em-

bodying certain novel features of construction, whereby this mode of operation is rendered practically free'from the danger of accident, the mechanism, also, including provision to compensate for the constantly varying lateral position of the car body relative to the track, whereby the mail catching arm and delivering devices are controlled at all times to be moved to a definite operative position.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out as this specification progresses, the invention consisting in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter to be described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification Figure 1, is a fragmentary perspective View of a railway mail coach and railway track showing our improved device applied thereto. 7

Fig. 2, is an end elevation of Figure 1, drawn to a reduced scale showing partly in diagram certain parts of the invention in operative position. v

Fig. 3, is a plan view of a portion of a railway track showing the stationary member, forming part of the invention, positioned thereon, and also the position of the mail pouch standard relative thereto.-

Figs. 4 and 5, are views of parts ofthe lever mechanism belonging to the delivering portion of the invention showing it in operativejand inoperative position, respectively.

Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the clutch mechanism for arbitrarily rendering the invention inoperative. v

Figs. 7, and 8, are views of details forming parts shown in Figure 6.

.Fig. 9, is a side elevation of thehand lever for operating the clutch shown in Figure6.

Fig. 10, is a perspective view ofthe slide bar forming vpart of the pouch catching hook.

Fig. 11, is a longitudinal cross section of the casing surrounding the slide bar shown in Figure 10. i

Fig. 12, is a sectional view on line 12*,12 of Figure 11. g i i Fig. 13, is an end view of Figure 11.

Fig. 14, is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the pouch supporting members of. the delivering mechanism.

Fig. 15, is a detail thereof, and Fig. 16, is a'side elevation of the formation of the end of the stationary rail member. r

In the drawings, 1 designatesthe floor of a railway mail coach, 2 the nearside wall thereof, 3' and 3 the right and left door jambs of the door opening, and the' door. sill. The car body is supported in the usual manner (not shown) by the truck wheels 5,

which in turn traverse the usual rails 6 and 6. Arranged between the rails and in parallelism therewith and located nearer the rail 6 thereof, is the impact or cam rail 7. This cam rail is mounted on the sleepers 7, to bring its tread an appreciable distance (about two inches) above the level of the tread of the rail 6. At its ends the cam rail (which may be termed a stationary member) is bent in a curve in a horizontal plane extending outwardly toward the rail 6, to a point indicated by dotted lines a (Figs. 3 and 16) and then downwardly in a curve to bring its outer extremity below the top of the main rail 6. The object of bending the outer extremities of the rails so as to dip below the top of the main rails, is to obviate the formation of an abrupt shoulder above the main track, which would constitute a source of danger.

Firmly secured to the underside of the floor of the car are the frame members 8 and 8. The frame members are arranged side by side longitudinally of the car body, and are formed with journal bearings 8" wherein is journaled the shaft 9, the inner end of the shaft having further journal support 9 which latter forms part of the frame member 10, also secured to the bottom of the floor of the car body. Thus, the frame members 8 and 8 and 10 constitute collectively a frame.

The shaft 9 extends transversely of the cam rail and is slidab-le longitudinally in said journals. Carried by the shaft and longitudinally adjustable thereon, as by means of the set screws 10 is the cam wheel 11, the periphery thereof being V- shaped to present a central peripheral knife edge, the sloping outer side of said knife edge being adapted to engage with the curved inner sides respectively of the ends of the cam rail 7 when traveling in either direction, as is best shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

An extensile spring 11 which surrounds the shaft 9 and'extends between the cam wheel and the frame member 8 holds the cam wheel under stress against the rail, when the device is in operation. A collar 11" at the inner end of the shaft constitutes adjustment means, whereby the sliding movement of the shaft may be selectively restricted. Thus, when the car is travel ing in either direction, and the cam wheel is properly adjusted on the shaft, it will engage with the curved ends of the impact rail at a tangent, the inclination of the sides of the knife edge of the wheel being made to conform to the general angularity of the curvature of the inner curved faces of the rail, the movement of the car causing a rotary camming action of the wheel on the rail to effect a sliding movement of the shaft in its journal. As the cam wheel inrsais leaves the rail 7 it will noiselessly, under the influence of its spring, engage the curved end to return to its normal inoperative position.

The frame member 10 is further provided with a pair of arms (Fig. 1) which form a slideway 12, said slideway extendin parallel with the sliding shaft 9, an being adapted to slidingly receive the vertical arm 12 extending from the shaft 9 through said slideway and above the latter, and being formed at its upper extremity with a hollow hub 12" adapted to slidably receive the pull rod 13. The arm 12 is formed at its base with an appreciably long hub through which rotatably extends the shaft 9, the arm being adjustable longitudinally on said shaft as by means of the set screwed collars 12- The pull rod 13 extends horizontally transversely of the car body and loosely through the hub 12, and carries at its inner extremity a stop collar 13', between which latter and the hub, is the extensile coil spring 13 which surrounds said pull rod. Extending longitudinally of the car body at a point adjacent the outer face thereof, spaced from the underside of the floor of the car, is the rock shaft 14:. This rock shaft is supported on the car body by means of end brackets 15%, secured to the car body- Suitable collars 14 at the ends of the shaft hold the shaft against longitudinal displacement. Rotatable on the rock shaft is the clutch member 15, which is formed with a lever arm 15 extending at right angles to the shaft and having pivotal connection 15" with the pull rod 13. In its normal inoperative position, the lever arm stands in an outwardly inclined position approximately indicated by the dotted line b of Figure 4E. The pull rod is further formed with a shoulder 16 normally spaced from the stop block 16 which latter is suit-- ably secured to the underside of the car floor as indicated in Figure 2. This stop block is formed with a downwardly opening notch 16", wherein the pull rod loosely slides so that when the latter is moved longitudinally the shoulder 16 will engage with the face of the block for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

The clutch member 15 is further formed with a pair of radial claws 17, adapted to interlockingly co-operate with the claws'18" of the shifting clutch member 18, the latter being formed at its opposite end with an integral collar 18". Thus, the two clutch members form what may be termed a claw clutch, the shifting member being provided with an internal longitudinal groove 19, (Fig. 8) and the rock shaft being provided with a spline 14" adapted to slide in said groove. When the two members are interlocked as indicated in Figure 6, a reciprocatory' movement of the pull rod 13 will cause the rock shaft-to rotate about its axis. A set screwed collar 17 secured on the rock shaft serves to maintain the clutch members in proper position.

Extending through an opening in the car floor as at 0 (Fig 9) and having fulcrum support 19 in the bracket 20, which is secured to the underside of the floor, is the operating lever 21. This lever is provided with a pawl 21 pivoted on the lever above the fulcrum. and having connection with the blade spring 21 secured to the lever to urge the pawl downward, and rod connection 21 with a fulcrumed sub-lever 22 mounted adjacent the. handle of the main lever. Thus, operation of the sub-lever will cause the pawl to be raised as desired against the tension of the spring. The pawl in turn is adapted to engage with the teeth 22 of the toothed segment 23, which latter is secured to the car floor. At its lower extremity the lever is bent outwardly and is formed at its outer extremity with a fork 24. This fork is adapted to loosely embrace the periphery and sides of the flange 18, so that when the lever is moved upon its pivot the shifting clutch member will disengage the claws of the member 15, and thus render the latter rotatable on the rock shaft.

Secured at a suitable level above the door sill at to the outside of the car wall and in horizontal alinement, are the journal brackets 25 wherein is journaled the open ended tubular casing 26, which latter is of re? duced diameter at its ends to form a shoulder 26'. The open end of the casing is located immediately adjacent the. door opening, while the closed end thereof is formed with a bearing portion 26 which extends beyond the journal block and carries'rigidly the lever arm 27, which latter extends in its normal inoperative position, in an outwardly and downwardly direction as indicated in Figure 1. The interior of the casing is of uniform size throughout its length, and rectangular in cross section.

Adjustably secured to the rock shaft as by means of the set screws 28, is the lever arm 29, which extends outwardly and downwardly in its normal inoperative position. Pivotally connecting the lever arm 27 and 29, as by means of the pivot bolts comprises preferably a round supporting slide bar 32. of. uniform diameter, having a squared end 32 adapted to loosely slide in the interior of the casing and the bushing 31, the square end being a trifle larger between its sides than the diameter of the bar.

The other end of the bar is similarly squared as at 33 to loosely fit the bushing 31, the bar being preferably provided with a rubber cushion 33' immediately adjacent the bushing 33 for a purpose to be later described.

I Rigi'dly secured to the bar immediately adjacent the rubber cushion 33' is the hook member 34; shaped after the manner of ordinary mail hooks now in use, including an outwardly and forwardly directed shankportion 34:, which is adapted to engage with the pouch 35 which latter is suspended in the ordinary manner upon a standard, not shown. Y

The squared ends of the bar 32 are sufliciently small to permit the bar to be inserted into the end of the casing by slightly tilting the bar as indicated in dottedv linesin Figure 1. Obviously, the pouch hook may be reversed, as is also indicated in Figure 1, so that when the train is going in the reverse direction from that indicated in the drawings, the hook may be reversed to meet the requirements.

In operation when the rock shaft 14 is actuated, the hook will be elevated at right angles to the wall of the car body as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. In order that the book will always assume a horizontal position, the shoulder 16 on the pull rod 13 and the stop block 16 are provided. These parts being so located as by the adjustment of the lever arm 29 that when the cam wheel 11 ,is-actuated and the shoulder 16 is thereby brought into engagementwith the stop block, any additional subsequent movement of the cam wheel will be absorbed by'the spring 13. By this arrangement any variation of position of the car body during travel, relative to the track, would be compensated for, by the spring 13", the pouch hook always assuming its operative level position. v

The delivering mechanism is also oper ated from the rock shaft and comprises apair of oppositely disposed pouch ejecting members or throwing arms 36, preferably mounted on the outside of the car, each member being connected by means of a groi ip of interconnected levers to the rock shaft 14., to be actuated thereby. The ejec.

tors as shown, are mountedon the outside.

of the car body one on either side of the door by means of the journal blocks 36 and- 36". said blocks being alined longitudinally of the car body to bring the journals thereof a trifle above the door sill 4:. Each ejector comprises a shank 37 slidable and rotatable in said journal blocks, and par-- allel with the rock shaft and slidable to extend asuitable distance beyond the door jamb into the doorway.

Rigidly mounted at the inner end of the shank is the pouch receiving hook or throwing arm 37"in the form of an upwardly opening crescent and which normally rests upon the door sill 4 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4. The journal block 36- is formed with a pair of lugs between which is mounted the lever arm 38 shown in Figure 15 of the drawings. This lever arm is formed with a spline 38 which is adapted to slide in the groove or guideway 38', extending the entire length of the shank 37. Thus the shank is slidable in the lever arm to bring the hooks 37 in proper relative positionin the doorway to receive the mail bag, it being optional with the operator to slide them into the desired position to accommodate bags of varying lengths. The lever 38 forms part of the lever mechanism eXtending from the shank 37 to the rock shaft, said mechanism including the lever arm 39 rigid on the rock shaft, the link 40 having slidable pivotal connection by means of the loops 40 and the pivot pin 39 withsaid lever arm 39 and by means of the 'pivot 39', with the'lever 41 the fulcrumed lever 41 pivoted by means of the pivot 41 in the journal support 42 which latter is secured to the side of the ear, the link 43 having pivotal connection by means of the pivot bolt 43 with the fulcrumed lever 41, and pivotal connection with the lever 38 by means of the pivot bolt 38". The relative position of these levers, when the hooks are in pouchreceiving position, is shown in Figure 4, while the position of the parts after the pouch has been ejected is shown in dotted lines in Figure 5. It will be noted in Figure 4, that the pivot pin 39' rests in the inner end of the loops 40 when the device is in its normal inoperative position.

In the event of a complete operation of the catching and delivering devices,the pivot 39' of the lever arm 39 will'initially travel in the loop 40' to the outward end thereof, (as shown in full lines in Figure 5) without materially actuating the ejecting members but imparting initial movement to the pouch hook to bring it approximately to the position indicated in dotted lines as at Z in Figure 2. A subsequent movement of the rock shaft will move the group of levers to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 5, this subsequent movement carrying the pouch arm to its horizontal pouch-catching position and imparting a complete ejecting movement to the ejecting members. Thus, the loops function as means for .delaying operation of the ejecting mechanism relative to the actuation of the pouch hook,.

to thereby effect a complete delivering operation during the final movement of the catching device. Thus, a sudden impulse is imparted to the delivering hooks 37, to throw the bag a safe distance away from the track. This delay of the delivery operation permits the pouch hook to engage the suspended pouch before deliveryis made, so that the delivered bag will be thrown clear of the standard upon which the pouch is suspended. Thus, the danger of the thrown pouch striking the standard is avoided.

Rigid on the rock shaft, is the lever arm 44 which normally extends downwardly and inwardly and has connection with a cable 45, which latter runs over the sheave 46 and is attached to a counterweight 47. This weight functions together with the spring 11 to hold the rock shaft in its normal inoperative position. While we have shown one form of our invention, it is to be understood that constructional changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. A device of the class described for railway mail coaches comprising in part in combination, a stationary member on the track located between the rails thereof, a rock shaft carried by the coach extending longitudinally thereof, mechanism "including a. movable cam to be actuated thereby when the cam is moved, said mechanism being supported on the coach and operatively connected to said rock shaft, said cam being adapted. to engage with said stationary member to be moved thereby concurrently with the movement of the coach over the latter, and a pouch catching hook swingably mounted on the outside of the coach and normally suspended in inoperative position and operatively connected to said rock shaft to be thereby moved into operative position when the latter is actuated.

2. A device of the class described for railway mail coaches, comprising in part, in combination, a rock shaft carried by the coach extending longitudinally thereof, actuating mechanism including a movable cam, responsive to the. movement of which said mechanism is actuated, said mechanism being mounted on the coach and operative-1y. connected to said rock shaft and extending to a. point adjacent one of the railway tracks, pouch catching mechanism supported on the outside of the coach operatively connected to said rock shaft to be actuated thereby when said rock shaft is actuated, and a stationary member located between the railway tracks: in thepath defined during travel by said cam, said member being of a configuration to engage with said cam to move the same to a predetermined degree out of said path and so hold it for a predeeratively connected to said rock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said stationary member to be actuated thereby concurrently with a traveling movement of the coach over said member, mail pouch catching devices mounted on the outside of the coach and extending across the door opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operatively connected to the latter to be there-by moved from its normal inoperative position to operative position,

when said rock shaft is actuated, and mail pouch delivering devices including oppositely disposed pouch receiving members mounted tobe slidable toward each other from opposite sides of the door opening respectively, said. devices being operatively connected to said rock shaft to be thereby actuated from their normal inoperative position through a delivering operation concurrently with the operation of said mail pouch catching devices.

4. A mail pouch catching and delivering device for railway mail coaches, "compris ing in combination, a stationary member on the railway track between the tracks thereof, a rock shaft carried by the coach extending longitudinally thereof under the door opening therein and beyond opposite sides of said door opening, actuating mechanism for said rock shaft carried by the coach operatively connected to rock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said stationary member to be actuated thereby concurrently with a traveling movement of the coach over said member, mail pouch catching device mounted on the outside of the coach and extending across the door opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operatively connected to the latter to be thereby moved from its normal inoperative to operative position when said rock shaft is actuated, and mail pouch delivering mechanism operatively connected to said rock shaft to be thereby actuated from its normal inoperative position through a delivering operation concurrently with the operation of said mail pouch catching devices, said delivering mechanism including pouch receiving throwing arms mounted to swing outwardly fromv their normal inoperative position in the door opening, and means whereby the actuation of said delivering mechanism is delayed during the initial portion of the movement of said pouch catching devices for thepurpose set forth.

5. A mail pouch catching and delivering .device for railway mail coaches, comprising in combination a stationary member on the railway track between the tracks thereof, a rock shaft carried by the coach extending longitudinally thereof underthe .door opening therein and beyond opposite s des of said door opening, actuating mechanism for said rock shaft carried by the coach operatively connected to saidrock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said stationary 'member to be actuated thereby concurrently with a traveling movement of; the coach. over said member, mail coach and extending across the door-opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operativelyconnected to the latterto be thereby moved from its normal inoperative 'to'operative position when said rock shaft is actuated, and mail pouch deliv ering devicesoperatively connected to said rock shaft to betherebyactuated to effect a delivering operation concurrently with. the operation of said such pouch catching devices, and manually operable clutch -mecha-' nism detachably connecting said rock shaft and the aforesaid mechanism.

6. A mail pouch catching and delivering device for. railway mail coaches, comprising in combination, a stationary member on the railway track between the tracks thereof, a rock shaft carried by the coach extending longitudinally thereof under the door opening therein and beyond opposite sides of said door opening, actuating mechanism for said rock shaft carried by the coach operatively connected to said rock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said-stationary member to be actuated thereby concurrently with a traveling movement of the coach over said member, mail pouch catching devices mountedon the outside of the coach and extending across the door opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operatively connected to the latter to be thereby moved from its normal inoperative to operative position when said rock shaft is actuated, and mail pouch delivering devices operatively connected to said rock shaft to be thereby actuated toeffect at delivering operation concurrently with the operation of said mail pouch catchin devices, the latter including an elongate horizontally disposed rotatably mounted casing of squared formation, on the wall of the coach adjacent the side of the door opens ouch catching devices mounted on tne outside of' the rock shaft carriedbythe coach extending o longitudinally thereof under the door opening therein and beyond opposite sides of said door opening, actuating mechanism for said rock shaft carried by the coach operatively connected to said rock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said statlonary member to be actuated thereby concurrently with atraveling movement of the coach over said member, mail pouch catching devices mounted on the outside'or" the coach and extending across the door opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operatively connected to the latter to be thereby moved from its normal inoperative position to operative position when said rock shaft is actuated, and mail pouch delivering devices operatively con.- nected to said rock shaft to be thereby actuated to efiect a delivering operation concurrently with the operation of said pouch catching devices, and means forming part of-said actuating mechanism for restrict- 'ing the operating movement of said catching and delivering devices to a predetermined degree, and for absorbing the excess movement of said actuating mechanism which arises from the variation of relative nositaverns rock shaft carried by the'coach extending longitudinally thereof under the door opening therein and beyond opposite sides of said door opening, actuating mechanism for said rock shaft carried by the coachoperatively connected to said rock shaft and extending into operative engagement with said stationary member to be actuatedthereby concurrently with a traveling movementof the coach over the member, mail pouch catching devices mounted on the outside of: the coach and extending across the door opening therein and located above said rock shaft and operatively connected to the latter to be thereby moved from its normal inoperative position to operative position when said rock shaft is actuated, mail pouch delivering devices operatively connected to said rock shaft tobe thereby actuated to effect a delivering operation concurrently with theoperation of said pouch catching devices, said actuating mechanism including a weight'mounted in a manner to constantly urge said rock shaft into normal inoperative position.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

CHRISTOPHER J. M. WEBER. AXEL OLSON. 

